Breaking your manuscript down, just to build it back up again – sounds crazy, doesn’t it? Actually, never has anything made more sense. To do so, you will have to put down your writer’s pen and look at your manuscript through the eyes of an editor or a reader. As you work your way through the following questions you must consider when revising your manuscript, try to remember what it was you wanted to say when you first sat down to write your book.

Keep it short

Trying to get a grip on a full-length manuscript can be daunting, but breaking it down can make it easier for you to “see” it clearly as a single image in your mind’s eye. Don’t write more than a few sentences for each of the following eight questions.

What is the title?

Write down the title of your book. It doesn’t have to be the final one you decide on, but a book without a title is difficult to imagine clearly. A baby without a name – who is this child?

What is the genre?

Just as the title of the book is important for its identity, so is the genre. It lets readers know what to expect and will help them find your book on the shelves.

What is your message?

What is the message your book contains? All books have a raison d’être and before you can even think about revising, you must be able to write down in one sentence what it is. This message must make your reader think. It might even change the way they perceive something after having read your book. If readers get to the end and are unable to say what your book was about in one sentence, then your message was not clear.

Who is the main character and what is their motivation?

Draw up a profile of your main character, making sure to include the following:

Name, where they live and work.

What do they want? Don’t forget to jot down both the material and emotional things your character wants more than anything else in the world.

Why does your story start where it does in your character’s life journey? Why didn’t it start the day before or the year after the point you started it at? By answering these questions, you will put your finger on the reason your main character decides to act.

Has your character changed by the end of the book? How? Did they get the thing they so badly wanted; the thing that pushed them toward action? Are they happy now that they have what they wanted? If they don’t have what they wanted, does it matter?

What is the conflict stopping your character from having what they want?

Remember that obstacles can be both external or internal. Does your character need the answer to a question and someone is keeping that answer from them? Imprisoned? Kidnapped? A zombie invasion! Or, your character may be afraid of something or someone. Perhaps they lack self-confidence or are fuelled by jealousy?

What is the plot?

This section should be no more than five sentences and should clearly detail what happens in your book. You have just summarised the message in your book, the main character arc, and the conflict, so writing down the plot now should be easier than if you had tried before. Although you may find answering this question difficult in so few words, remember that you must use a summary when pitching your novel, when describing it on your blog or websites you’ll be using to sell it, so it’s important!

Who is your audience?

Your readers don’t exist in a void. They are looking for something and that search has brought them to your book. Are they the type of person who tells people about books they have loved? If so, what will they say about your book? Why will it have been important to them?

Which books does your novel resemble?

When it’s made its way into bookshops, where will the staff put it? Which books will it sit next to?

Now that you’ve broken your book down, stick your summary up somewhere you can see it easily when writing or revising. At some point, if your story takes on a life of its own – as so often happens – make sure to adjust your summary so that it correctly describes the new version. And do you know what breaking down your book will help you with, other than helping you to revise? A query letter or book summary for agents and publishers – so worth it!